Writing machine



Feb; l6, 1937. I I

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N-VENTOR WWW , TTO NEY Patented Feb. 1%, E93? WEE'EING MACHENE John Q. Sherman and Albert W. Metaner, Dayton, Ohio; said Metzner assignor to said Sherman Application October 10, 1934, Serial No. 7471325 24 Claims. (Cl. l97133) This invention relates to writing machines of the fiat bed type wherein an imprinting apparatus travels to and fro over a stationary platen upon which record material may be disposed in writing position, and more particularly to means for automatically ejecting an inscribed portion of record material and presenting a succeeding portion thereof in writing position.

To facilitate operation at increased speed, it is quite desirable that at the completion of the writing operation the inscribed form shall be removed and a succeeding form positioned in writing position with minimum effort and by rapid operation.

To this end the present invention pertains to an attachment readily applicable to existing writing machines of the type mentioned embodying motorized feedingj means for intermittently advancing succeeding portions of continuous strips of record material predetermined distances past writing position, and control means for synchronizing the operation thereof with that of the writing machine, whereby the normal and customary manipulations of the writing machine will effect automatic advancement of the writing material.

The object of the invention is to improve the mechanism as well as the means and mode of operation of fiat bed traveling typewriters and analogous writing mechanisms whereby they may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more eflicient in use, automatic in action, uniform in operation, easily controlled, convenient, and unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide automatic material feeding mechanism for ejecting a portion of record material of predetermined length from the machine and advancing a succeeding like length of material into writing position in response to certain predetermined manipulations of the writing machine by the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide eiiicient safety means by which unintentional ejection of record material will be obviated.

A further object of the invention is to provide motorized material feeding mechanism for intermittently advancing record material from a source of supply to writing position and simultaneously ejecting inscribed portions thereof.

' A further object of the invention is to provide electrically controlled means for progressively advancing successive portions of record material into and out of writing position and to provide safety means for preventing inadvertent operation thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide multiple control devices for the record material feeding mechanism, a plurality of which must be operated by different agencies to enable the operation of the feeding mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide electrical control circuit for the record material feeding mechanism having therein multiple circuit breakers, one of which is closed by movement of the imprinting mechanism to predetermined position and the other of which is closed in response to manual operation by the operator.

. A further object of the invention is to prevent operation of the feeding means for the advance-=- ment of the record material until the portion of material clamped in writing position has been released.

A further object of the invention is to prevent operation of the material feeding means until the imprinting apparatus is in position to initiate a new writing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide operative interconnection between the record material clamping means and the ejecting means therefor.

A further object of the invention is to render the automatic feeding mechanism responsive to certain normal manipulative operations of the writing machine.

A further object is to provide in combination with the automatic material feeding mechanism a differential speed control means by which the speed of operation of the feeding means may be proportioned to the distance throughwhich the material is to be advanced at each operation.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 discloses a perspective view of the writing machine of the flat bed type. Fig. 2 discloses an attachment for the writing machine removed therefrom. Fig. 3 discloses a side view of the writing machine and Fig. 4 discloses a perspective view of the writing material. Fig. 5 discloses a schematic wiring diagram.

Some fiat-bed platen typewriting machines, wherein the typewriter itself travels over the platen, have been equipped with pin wheel feeding devices as disclosed in patent to Sherman et mounted upon the typewriting machine and which fits into standard machines that have not been provided with a pin wheel feeding device. In this way the attachment may be adapted to the machine without any alteration of the typewriter.

In addition to being removably mounted, the present device includes a normally inoperative manually controlled motorized driving mechanism for the platen, which includes a switch normally open and arranged in the path of travel of the writing machine, whereby the switch is closed when the writing machine is in a predetermined position, at which time the motorized driving mechanism ejects the used form and presents the succeeding form into writing position in response to manual operations of the operator. This motorized driving mechanism normally rotates throughout a predetermined range during each cycle of operation and includes a differential drive interconnecting the motor to the-pin wheel feeding device whereby variations in the differential drive causes the pin wheel feeding device to eject diflerent lengths of forms into writing position during each cycle of operation.

A speed control mechanism for the motorpermits the diflerent form lengths to be ejected at substantially the same maximum speed, this" speed being determined by the quality and quantity of record material used.v

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Upon the frame in, having a flat-bed platen I2, is mounted a traveling writing machine i4 that advances over the record material both transversely and longitudinally during the writ- .the writing operation by the machine l4. A foot.-

treadle 34, connected to a rod 36 having one end pivoted to member 28, releases the clamp 24 whenever it is desirable to, eject one form from the writing machine and advance the succeeding form into writing position, or when it .is desirable to rearrange or move the form oger lyingtheplatenbed. In the 'past it has been the'common practice for the operatorto'release the clamp 24 by actu- Itting the treadle 34 with his foot and then pull one form out of writing position and insert another form into writing position. However, this is a slow and tedious operation. In the present,

of a form ejecting mechanism which will now be described.

A frame 40 is removably mounted intermediate the rails 22 and carries a pin wheel feed roller 42 driven through a chain of gears 44 from a suitable restricted operation motor 46. The pins 48 are preferably mounted for radial movement in the roller 42, a description of which will not be made at this time for the reason that the movement of the pins with respect to the roller 42 may be identical to the disclosure of pin feed device in Shermans application Serial No. 542,- 855, filed June 8, 1931. The record material is guided over the pins by a pair of slotted guides 50 resiliently mounted on member 52 suitably attached to the frame 40, so that as the record material is advanced by the feeding pins 48 it is held in engagement therewith by members 50.

The motor is of the restricted operation type like the motor disclosed in the Sherman et a1 Patent No. 1,741,442 patented December 31, 1929, and will not now be described as the structure is the same.

As the operator actuates the foot treadle 34, the link 56 actuates the bell crank lever 58 connected to another link 60 which is mounted to actuate the plunger 54 of the motor 46. As disclosed in the Sherman et a1 patent, the plunger 54 closes a pair of contacts 55, shown in Fig. 5, that completes the circuit through the motor. If the circuit is otherwise closed, as will be more fully described later, the motor drivesthe chain of gears 44, which actuates the feed roller 42 to eject one form length of record material and advances the succeeding form into writing position, at which time the motor stops.

As the clamp 24 is also actuated by the treadle 34, it is desirable to provide another switch in the motor circuit so that the operator may adjust the record material in writing position by actuating the treadle 34 without closing the motor circuit. A push button 64 closes a switch 62, normally held in open position. This switch 62 is mounted upon a bracket 56 carried by the frame and. arranged in the path of the carriage i6 so that asthe typewriter i4 and its carriage I6 is retracted and pushed to the rear, as viewed in Fig. 3, the carriage engages the push button 64 to close the circuit through the motor. When [the switch 62 is. closed by the carriage is engaging the push button 64, the operator may then actuate the treadle 34-to close the switch actuated by the plunger 54 'toc'omplete the circuit through the motor.

In orderto control the speed of the motor a rheostat is-connected in series with one of the leads leading'to the motor so as toregulate the speed of the motor. a It is desirable to eject the forms at the maximum rate of speed at which the forms may be fed. Consequently it is imperative to control the speed of'the, motor so as to decrease the speed when thefoihi lengths are longerwand increase the speedfor short length forms. That is, the speed must be less where a long form is fed out during one cycle of operation of the motor as compared to the speed when a very short form is fed out during the same operative cycle of the same motor. If a form 13" long were fed out during the same period of time as a 6 5" form,

the longer formwould be fed twice as fast as the shorter. This being the case, if the maximum speed is attained in feeding the 6 form it is abmlutelynecessary to decrease the speed of the motor so as to prolong the time for ejecting Gil 32- to permit the new form overlying the fiat-bedthe longer form in order to keep the speed of the longer form within the range of the maximum practical speed at which the forms may be ejected.

The gears M, disclosed in Fig. 2, may be changed so as to change the gear ratio, thereby changing the effective length of the forms ejected. Holes til, in the frame 92 supporting the gears dd, may be used for mounting different sized gears so as to secure the proper gear ratio.

The frame til, the pin wheel feed roller the gears M, the motor 56 and the parts associated therewith are mounted as a unit in standard typewriting machines. The frame 40 is preferably adjustable so that the assembly may be removably mounted in various types and sizes of Elliott- Fisher machines.

In the particular modification disclosed, a pack of record material l5, as shown in Fig. l, has been placed on the stand iii having one end resting upon a pair of legs 32 and the other end carried by a support l 'l mounted upon the writing machine. The pack 15 disclosed in Fig. 4 is provided with continuous length, marginally punched record material 32 having interleaved therebetween continuous length transfer material 76 the holes of which are larger than the holes in the record material, as disclosed in the Sherman Patent No. 1,897,013 patented February '2, 1933. If transfer material that is not of a continuous length is used, the transfer material is preferably placed upon a spool 86 rotatably mounted upon the brackets 82 and ti l carried by the writing machine and extending transversely over the platen. When this type of transfer material is used the feed roller 68 and the pin feed associated therewith eject the record material, forming a loop which is subsequently manually pulled over and under the transversely arranged interleaved sheets of transfer material.

Operation Whenever it is desirable to eject one form and present the succeeding form into writing position the operator retracts the typewriter it upon the carriage it until the carriage it engages the push button M to close the switch 62. Then the operator operates the treadle M to release the clamp 25 and actuate the plunger 56 to complete the circuit through the motor it which rotates and drives the chain of gears 86 and the pin wheel roll M to advance the record material, and trip the motor release, thereby ejecting the used form and presenting a new form into writing position. The operator now releases the treadle 3A which clamps the leading edge of the newly presented form and permits th: used form to be torn along the tear line 80. 'I'.:e newly presented form is now in writing position and after it has been written upon the operator again goes through the same cycle of operations to eject one form and present a new form into writing position.

Instead of first retracting the typewriter l, the operator may actuate the treadle 35 to release the clamp 24 and actuate the plunger 56. Then before releasing the treadle, which must remain in the down-position, disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3, until the new form is in position, the operator retracts the typewriter to closethe switch 62, thereby closing the circuit through the motor 65. This motor then advances through one cycle of operation to eject the used form, when it comes to a stop. The operator may now release treadle platen to be clamped in position.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification inits form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is there-.

fore claimedany of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, we claim:

i 1. The combination with a writing machine of the type wherein a traveling writing mechanism is movable to and fro relative to record material stationarily disposed therebeneath, of strip feeding means for intermittently advancing a strip of record material beneath the writing apparatus to present successive portions thereof in writing position, a one cycle actuating motor therefor, a clamp member for holding the record material in its adjusted position, and multiple control means for the motor including a control means operatively connected with the record material clamp member, and a second control means operated by the movement of the writing mechan sm to a predetermined position, the operation 'of both control means being necessary to the operation of the motor.

2. Paper feeding means for a writing machine of the type wherein a traveling writing apparatus is movable to and fro over stationarily disposed record material including a strip feeding device for intermittently advancing record material into writing position, a clamp engaging the material for holding the same in its adjusted position, an actuating motor for the strip feeding means, and means controlling the actuating motor operated by the operation of said record material clamp.

3. Paper feeding means for a writing machine of the type wherein a traveling writing apparatus is movable transversely and longitudinally over stationarily disposed record material including a strip feeding device for intermittently advancing record material into writing position, a clamp for holding the material in its adjusted position, an actuating motor for the strip feeding means, and means for controlling the motor operated by the longitudinal movement of the traveling writing apparatus to predetermined pos'ition.

4. Paper feeding means for a writing machine of the type wherein a traveling writing apparatus is movable to and fro over stationarily disposed record material including a strip feeding device for intermittently advancing record material into writing position, a clamp for holding the material in its adjusted position, an actuating motor for'the strip feeding means, and means controlling the motor operated conjointly by the operation of the record material clamp and the traveling writing apparatus.

5. In a writing machine wherein a traveling imprinting apparatus is movable to and fro over stationarily disposed record material, record material feeding means for intermittently presenting successive portions of record material in writing position, an actuating motor therefor and a plurality of independently operable motor control devices one of which is manually operated and controlled, the other of which responds to a predetermined position of the imprinting apparatus. l

6. In awriting machine wherein a traveling imprinting apparatus is movable to and fro over stationariiy disposed record material, record material feeding means for intermittently presenting successive portions of record material in ing the record material in position, an electric motor adapted for one cycle operation, an electrical energizing circuit therefor, multiple circuit breakers in said circuit, a plurality of which must be closed ,to energize the motor, means for closing one of said circuit .breakers bythe adjustment of the imprinting apparatus, and means associated with said clamp for closing another circuit breaker independently of, said one circuit breaker. I

8. In a writing machine wherein. a traveling imprinting'apparatus is movable to and fro orv er stationarily disposed record material, record material feeding means for intermittently presenting successive portions of record material in writing position, an electric motor adaptedfor one cycle operation, an electrical energizing circuit therefor, a plurality of normally open circuit breakers in said circuit, all of which must be closed to energize the motor, and means under control of the operatorfor independently closing said circuit breakers, said means including mechanism responding -to' a predetermined positioning of the imprinting mechanism.

9. In a writing machine wherein a traveling imprinting apparatus is movable to and fro over stationarily disposed record material, record material feeding means for intermittently presenting-successive portions of record material in writing position, clamping means engaging the recordmaterial for holding the same in adjusted position, an electric motor adapted for one cycle operation, an electrical energizing circuit therefor, multiple circuit"breakers in said circuit, a

plurality of which must be closed to energize the 'motor; means forclosing one of said circuit breakers by the operation of the record material ciamping means, and means for closing another of said circuitbreakers independently thereof.

10. The combination with a writing machine having a traveling imprinting'mechanism movable transversely and longitudinally over sta tionarily disposed record material, of record material feeding means for intermittently advancing successive portionsof record material into writing position, a one cycle operation motor for actuating the record material feeding means, and a common control member for the writing machine and said motor, said control member being effective only when the imprinting mechanism is in a predetermined position.

11. The combination with a writing machine wherein a traveling imprinting apparatus is movable transversely and longitudinally over stationarily disposed record material, of record material feeding mechanism for intermittently advancing succeeding formlengths of record material into and out of writing position relative to said imprinting apparatus, an actuating motor therefor, and means for effecting the actuation of the material feeding mechanism by the operation of said motor when theimprintingmechanism is in form length finished position.

12. The combination with a writing machine wherein a traveling imprinting apparatus is movable to and fro over stationarily disposed record material, of record material feedin'g mechanism for intermittently advancing succeeding portions tion relative to said imprinting apparatus, clamping means engaging the record material for holding the same in its adjusted position, an actuating motor for said material feeding mechanism, and means preventing the operation of the material feeding mechanism until the clamping means is disengaged therefrom.

' 13. The combination with a writing machine wherein a traveling imprinting apparatus is movable transversely and longitudinally over stationarily disposed record material, of record material feeding mechanism for intermittently advancing succeeding form lengths of record material into and out of writing position relativeto said imprinting apparatus, an actuating motor therefor, and means preventing the actuation of the material feeding mechanism by said motor until the imprinting mechanism is adjusted to form length finished positionfor initiating the next writing operation.

1a; The combination with a writing machinewherein a traveling imprinting apparatus is movable to and fro over stationariiy disposed record material, of record material feeding mechanism for intermittently advancing succeeding portions of record material into and outof writing position relative to said imprinting apparatus, a variable speed actuating motor therefor operable,

cyclically and means for varying the duration of r the cycle so that a speed may be selected compatible with the particular forms used.

15. The combination with a writing machine wherein a traveling imprinting apparatus is movable to and fro over stationarily disposed record material, of record material feeding mechanism for intermittently advancing succeeding portions of record material into and out of writing position relative to said imprinting apparatus, a one duration of said one cycle of the motor compatible with thelength of the material portion to be advanced. c i

16. A unitary attachment for writing machines wherein an imprinting apparatus travels to and fro over a pair of rails associated with a sta-' tionary platen, including a supporting frame removably suspended from the rails, pin type strip.

feeding mechanism mounted on said removable frame and engageable in marginally punched apertures in continuous strips of record material for advancing such material in ing position 'of record material into and out of writing posicycle operation motor for actuating the material feeding mechanism, and means for regulating the upon said platen, a motorized driving mechanism for the strip feeding mechanism, and means for intermittently actuating the strip feeding mechanism thereby to eject a portion of record material overlying the platen and advance a succeeding portion thereof into writing position.

17. The combination with a writing machine wherein a traveling imprinting mechanism is movable to and fro, forward and aft, over a stationary platen upon which writing material is received, of intermittently actuated pin type feeding devices progressively engageable in marginally punched holes in a continuous strip of record material, an actuating motor therefor and operative connections from the motor to the pin type feeding devices for actuating the pin type devices to advance the record material through a predetermined range of movement and automatically arrest the movement thereof at the completion of such predetermined range of movement, and means for initiating such operative motion of the pin type feeding devices, only when the imprinting mechanism is in aft position.

18. The combination with a writing apparatus wherein an imprinting mechanism is movable to and fro, forward and aft, over a stationary platen upon which record material is received, of

a motorized pin type feeding mechanism for a continuous strip of record material and means for intermittently energizing the pin type feeding mechanism to advance the record material a predetermined distance at each operation and arrest the material atthe end of such advance movement, and means for controlling such feeding mechanismby the movement of the imprinting mechanismto aft position.

19. The combination with a writing apparatus wherein an imprinting mechanism is movable to and fro, forward and aft, over a stationary platen 4 upon which record material is received, of a motorized pin type feeding mechanism for a continuous strip of record material and means for intermittently energizing the pin type feeding mechanism to advance the record material a predetermined distance at each operation and arrest the material at the end of such advance movement, operative means common to the writing apparatus and the feeding mechanism for operating one of said mechanisms by the operation of 5 the other, and means responding to a predetermined position of one of said mechanisms for preventing the operation of said other when out \of said predetermined position.

20. The combination with a writing apparatus wherein an imprinting mechanism is movable to and fro over a stationary record material receiving platen, of an automatic strip feeding mechanism detachably mounted upon the writing apparatus for intermittently advancing a continuous strip of record material over said stationary platen to present a form length upon the platen,

means for initiating the operation of the strip feeding mechanism at the completion of each writing operation upon a form length and means 5 responding to a predetermined position of the imprinting mechanism for preventing said initiating means from operating when the imprinting mechanism is out of said predetermined positioni 7o 21. Paper feeding means for an imprinting machine of the type wherein a traveling "writing apparatus is reciprocally movable over stationafily disposed record material in a direction normal to the direction of the lines imprinted thereon, including a pin feeding device for intermittently advancing the record material to the imprinting position, said pin feeding device advancing the record material through an arcuate path extending tangentially in the plane of the writing p0- sitio'n, an actuating motor therefor and operative connections from the motor to the feeding device for actuating the feeding device to advance the record material through a predetermined a normally inoperative feeding means for intermittently advancing the stationery,'and a plurality of control devices conjointly governing the feeding means the operation of each of which is necessary for activating the feeding means, one of said control devices being governed by the travel motion of the imprinting means to a predetermined position and another of the control devices being governed by actuation of said detent means.

23. In a writing machine, a motorized feeding mechanism for intermittently advancing continuous series connected form stationery a predetermined measured distance at each operation to present succeeding portions thereof in writing position imprinting means operatively engageable with the portion thereof advanced into writingposition, and duo-control \means conjointly governing the operation of the motorized feeding mechanism, dual operation of which is necessary for actuation of the feeding mecha nism, said duo-control means being separately operated, by the, operation of the imprinting means through a predetermined cycle of operation thereof, and by means controlled by the operator, independently of the operation of the imprinting means respectively.

24. In a writing machine wherein continuous series connected form stationery is intermittently advanced a predetermined distance to present succeeding forms thereof. in writing position at I each operation, intermittently operated feeding means for advancing the series connected form stationery a predetermined distance at each operation, imprinting means for inscribing the portion of stationery positioned in writing position, and a plurality of independently operable control devies conjointly governing the operation of the feeding means, the operation of each of which is necessary for initiation of the operation of the feeding means, at least one of the control devices being automatically operable by a positioning of the imprinting means and another of the control devices being operable at the willof the operator. JOHN Q. SHERMAN.

ALBERT W. MEIZNER. 

